Cooking articles with microwave energy has now become commonplace. A wide variety of packages have been proposed to utilize microwave energy to heat and cook various foods. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,097,107, 5,008,024, 5,044,777, and 4,571,337, as well as numerous other U.S. patents, all relate to packaging for microwavable popcorn. The packages described in these patents purportedly provide means for evenly distributing microwave heat so that a large percentage of kernels are popped and few of the popped kernels are overcooked. The patents relate other advantages of the packages, such as ease of handling, proper expansion as kernels are popped, and cooling advantages. Many microwavable popcorn containers are comprised of bags made of kraft paper and possibly a polymeric inner layer. Kraft paper has been found to be a suitable material for utilizing microwave energy to cook food.
Other patents exist relating to microwave packages that assist in transferring microwave heat into thermal heat, which helps brown and evenly cook foods, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,420. It is widely recognized that the molecular friction resulting from the high frequency oscillation of microwave ovens fails to impart the proper amount of crispness to foods normally expected to possess such a quality. Consequently, when such foods are heated in a microwave oven, they do not possess the requisite degree of eye appeal and taste appeal that one normally expects. Various attempts have been made to correct for the inherent lack of browning or crispening when employing microwave heating, primarily aimed toward modifying the microwave oven or using edible coatings on the food itself, but also directed towards specific packaging requirements for various foods.
Heretofore, no patent has addressed a suitable package for roasting unshelled peanuts or other nuts or seeds in a microwave oven in a manner that will produce an appealing texture and crunchiness. Microwave roasting in-shell nuts and seeds presents a unique challenge because the microwave heat must be utilized precisely to achieve the desired texture and crunchiness of the roasted product. To this end, a package which at least partially converts microwave heat into thermal heat is desirable. In addition, nuts or seeds that are tightly packed together tend to roast unevenly in a microwave, so a suitable microwave package should allow enough room for proper roasting, while still providing adequate amounts of product for consumption.
Microwave peanut roasting is a desirable objective, since the conventional method of roasting peanuts is extremely time consuming and requires a large amount of advanced planning and experience. Furthermore, the ability to roast raw peanuts is more desirable than purchasing currently available pre-roasted peanuts, because the raw peanuts have a much longer shelf life and taste fresher when roasted at home in a microwave as opposed to pre-roasted peanuts. Peanuts are a popular and nutritious food item that many people would roast on a regular basis if a convenient roasting method existed. In addition, many people enjoy other roasted nuts such as pecans or chestnuts, as well as roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds. The use of microwave ovens to prepare food has become so commonplace that any new microwavable food will be readily useful in the marketplace.
Thus, there is a need for a package and method for roasting peanuts and other nuts or seeds in a microwave oven. A major objective of the present invention is to provide a microwave package for roasting raw, unshelled nuts or seeds which requires no manipulation prior to use and which provides for even distribution of microwave heat and results in a roasted product of desirable texture and crunchiness. Another objective is providing a microwave package for roasting nuts or seeds that contains a controlled portion of product in a convenient size for storage and handling, and an easy roasting method. These and other more detailed and specific objects of the present invention will be apparent in view of the following description setting forth various forms of the invention.